‘Accountability must be fixed’: Owaisi slams Centre over Pahalgam terror attack, alleges intelligence failure

NEW DELHI: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam was a result of an "intelligence failure" and urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government to fix accountability.
He also described the killing of innocent tourists as “more painful and condemnable” than the Pulwama and Uri attacks.
Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, the AIMIM chief said, “Terrorists have killed innocent people in an indiscriminate manner, asking about their religion before killing them in Pahalgam. This is a painful incident and a massacre. We strongly condemn this. We expect the government to take strict action.”

Owaisi said the Centre must assess whether its policy of deterrence against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is effective. “This is an intelligence failure, too. The government has to analyse whether its deterrence policy is successful. Accountability must be fixed,” he said, addressing reporters.
Owaisi also expressed concern over attempts to harm Kashmir’s tourism industry through such acts of violence. He offered condolences to the families of those killed and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
The Hyderabad MP further said, “The intention of the terrorists, who came from the neighbouring country, is to spread terror and kill innocents here in India.”
Tuesday’s attack at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam left at least 28 people dead, including two foreigners, one from Nepal and another from the UAE, and two locals, officials said.
The terrorists allegedly separated the men after questioning their religion before opening fire.
Union home minister Amit Shah met families of the victims on Wednesday and laid wreaths on the coffins at the Police Control Room in Srinagar. As per ANI, Shah said the perpetrators would face the "harshest consequences."
Security forces have launched massive search operations in and around the area. The Indian Army, amid heightened tensions, has allowed limited operations of its Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv fleet in affected zones.
Following the killings, several political parties and organisations called for a Jammu bandh in protest, while the usually crowded tourist areas in the valley remained deserted.